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Photo: Northeast Now

Former legislator of 111 Lakhimpur LAC of Assam, Ghana Burhagohain returned to Congress on Sunday with a bang ending two years of political wilderness.

Burhagohain was suspended from the Congress party following his rebellion during 2016 Assembly polls in which he contested independently against Congress candidate Dr Joy Prakash Das.

It may be recalled that Burhagohain was denied a party ticket in 2016 polls following his defeat in 2011. He was the MLA from 111 Lakhimpur LAC from 2006-2011. However, he was re-inducted to Congress’ fold on December 29 last year at Rajiv Bhawan in Guwahati, in the presence of APCC president Ripun Borah, leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly Debabrata Saikia, senior Congress leader Bishnu Prashad and former minister Sarat Barkataki.

Ghana Buragohain was given a rousing welcome by party workers and supporters from Ranganadi bridge on Sunday with a long motorcycle rally to Rajiv Bhawan in North Lakhimpur.  His party supporters were seen rejoicing as Burhagohain re-joined the party, three years after he was suspended.

Before that he met Harish Rawat, the party in-charge of Assam Congress, on January 8 last.

Hundreds of his supporters received him and took him to Rajiv Bhawan, shouting slogans in support of him and former Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and APCC president Ripun Borah.

Burhagohain later addressed a party meeting at Rajiv Bhawan. In the meeting, he said that he was deprived of the ticket, not by the party but because of the conspiracy hatched by a few party leaders, thereby forcing him to contest in the Assembly election independently.

He publicly criticized the present Lakhimpur district Congress president alleging his involvement in cash transaction regarding the selection of party candidates for the recent panchayat polls.

The Lakhimpur district Congress president was not present when Ghana Burhagohain arrived in North Lakhimpur on Sunday.

Farhana Ahmed is Northeast Now Correspondent in North Lakhimpur. She can be reached at: [email protected]